Amari Watergate
847 Phetchaburi Rd., Bangkok, 10400, ThailandWhy We Like It
Lots of frills without a high price, the Amari Watergate is a great hotel for big groups and budget-conscious families. The location is bustling – and even though it’s far from public transit--it’s close enough to not be too big of a pain. The immediate vicinity has some incredible shopping areas and there are solid bars and restaurants close by as well. Rooms are spacious and clean, and views breathtaking. No one would say this place is the best, but it certainly holds its own.
Fodor's Expert Review
Set along the uber-busy stretch of Phetchaburi Road, this 34-floor behemoth is a solid hotel for large groups and budget-conscious families who don’t want to give up on great amenities. Slightly impersonal, the giant property has just about everything you could ask for, including a pool, spa, gym, and multiple dining and drinking outlets. None of it will blow you away, but at the price point, you’ll definitely be pleasantly surprised.
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Room
Spacious rooms come with priceless views, clean carpeting, work desks, lounge chairs, and a daily supply of free water, fruit, coffee, and tea.
You Should Know Even though there are six elevators, they’re incredibly slow and you’ll find yourself waiting a lot to get to your floor.
Bathroom
Standard bathrooms are fairly spacious as well, coming with double sinks, separate tubs, and snug showers.
Lobby
The large lobby area has ample lounge space, along with high ceilings and a hanging Murano glass art installation. The lobby is always bustling with activity as this incredibly busy hotel shuffles guests in and out at all hours of the day. Cascade is the lobby level bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and a simple café menu.
Pool
Easily one of the biggest pools in Bangkok, you’ll find islands of trees in the middle and surrounding the area is a pool bar, an ice cream cart, and a ping pong table.
Tip The pool bar serves food and drinks and there’s a daily happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with buy-one-get-one-free specials.
Spa
Next to the pool is Breeze Spa, which is equipped with five treatment rooms for facials, massages, waxing, nails, hair, and body wrap treatments.
Gym
On the 8th floor of the hotel is FIT Centre. Here you have epic views of the city while you work out with Precor machines and free weights. There are free classes for guests that include Thai boxing, Zumba, yoga, among others. If you need a little competition in your workout, there are squash courts as well. The locker rooms have both sauna and steam facilities as well as Jacuzzi tubs.
Dining
The dining options aren’t winning any awards here, but the international buffet has a treasure trove of options and the pool bar and Cascade offer a variety of light snacks, smoothies, and cocktails.
Drinking
There’s a decent happy hour at the pool bar, but most guests will post up at Cascade off the lobby--especially when there are big sporting events happening.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
You can walk to most everything around here, and you’ll have to since the closest BTS Skytrain station is about 15-minutes away and the hotel does NOT provide a free shuttle. Taxis are usually parked outside the hotel, so it’s never a problem getting a ride. Just know that traffic is usually terrible--good thing the cabs are cheap! Another not-so-trafficked way of getting around is to hop on the Khlong Saen Seap Express Boat, which takes you from the canal just outside the hotel all the way west to Khao San Road near the Grand Palace.
Restaurants
Sra Bua (12-minute walk) inside the Siam Kempinski Hotel is an innovative Thai cuisine restaurant and usually rated as one of the best in all of Asia. Uno Mas (10-minute walk) is on the 54th floor at Centara Grand at CentralWorld and is a rare, and great Spanish eatery in the city.